Imagine...
An inland sea, sheltered from the ocean by a thin line of sand dune, and bordered by national park, beaches and farmland, and dotted with quaint, yet vibrant waterside villages. Wide expanses of water for exhilarating sailing, tranquil rivers for cruising and fishing, deserted beaches, peaceful coves. The Gippsland Lakes is the largest navigable inland waterway in Australia, comprising 400 square kilometres. That’s ten times the size of Sydney Harbour!
The Gippsland Lakes: deserted beaches, portside restaurants and cafes, two national parks accessible only by boat, three rivers, totally sheltered moorings, pristine ocean beach and abundant wildlife and birdlife. Where else can you easily explore all these wonderful places, by boat, in safety?
A Unique Boating Playground - there's nothing like it on earth
The Gippsland Lakes is truly a boating paradise where you can spend your mornings swimming, your days boating, your afternoons sipping espresso, and your evenings watching the most glorious sunsets.
You can be as energetic or as lazy as you like – the Gippsland Lakes offer both experiences.
And boating on the Lakes is very civilised. It’s NOT about having to plan, calculate and worry about dramatic tides and big seas. You’re always in sight of land or contact with civilisation (if you want it) to replenish fresh supplies or top up the water tank.
The Lakes are about easily managed distances between great destinations. They’re about buying supplies and enjoying an espresso in the sunshine, picking up the day’s papers or the day’s fish catch, and making your way to a national park where the jetty mooring and electric barbecues come free of charge for your enjoyment.
There are three main lakes that make up the Gippsland Lakes: Lake King, Lake Victoria and Lake Wellington. And there are numerous navigable bays and inlets, such as Bancroft Bay, Duck Arm, Box’s Creek and Reeve Channel.
Three rivers flow into Lake King: The Tambo, Nicholson and Mitchell. All of them are navigable to the Princes Highway bridges (the Mitchell River requires local knowledge). On the Tambo, Riviera Nautic’s cruisers can pass under the bridge at Swan Reach and journey as far as ‘The Cliffs’.
Charter Limits - where can we go?
The charter cruising limits are:
> In the east: Barrier Landing and Kalimna Jetty. The boats cannot cross the entrance into Lakes Entrance township.
> In the west: Plover Point at the western end of the McLennan Straits.
> Tambo River: the Princes Hwy bridge for yachts, the cliffs for cruisers.
Nicholson River: the Princes Hwy bridge. Mitchell River: explore the silt jetties, speak to Riviera Nautic before venturing further.
Easily Accessible
Just 3.5 hours east of Melbourne, the Gippsland Lakes are close enough for a weekend getaway. Easily accessed by road on major highways from Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra. Save on airfares!